This invention relates to a graphical user interface which enables transfers of items between displayed windows in a single application, and between windows of differing applications. More particularly, the invention relates to a user interface for the Java language which enables item transfers in an environment where xe2x80x9cdrag and dropxe2x80x9d actions are not supported.
A xe2x80x9cdrag and dropxe2x80x9d function is supported by many applications and enables data transfers across applications, between differing applications and within a single application. For example, the Windows(trademark) operating system (Windows is a trademark of Microsoft, Inc.) supports drag and drop actions as do other operating systems. A drag and drop interface enable a user to move, transfer and even convert objects by simply selecting them with a mouse and dragging their icon representations from one part of a screen to another. Dragging an object from one window to another window is typically interpreted by the control software as a request to move the object. Dragging an object""s icon and dropping it onto another icon is interpreted by the control system as a request to join the two objects in some way, perhaps by supplying the dropped object as an input parameter to the target object, which may represent a program.
The prior art, utilizing Windows-like applications employ drag and drop actions to create communication links by dragging an icon from one target hypertext document to a specified location in another hypertext document (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,595 to Gentner). Other programs such as the SuperCede Database Edition 1.2, a database-oriented programming tool, provides a graphical user interface which enables two-way editing. Essentially, the Supercede program is a tool for use with the Java language in the development of various business applications. However, the Java language does not, itself, currently support drag and drop operations.
While the Java xe2x80x9ctool kitxe2x80x9d application programmer interface does not provide a built-in facility for building drag and drop interfaces, there is still a requirement for such functionality. Further, there still remains a class of users who find it difficult to work with a mouse and prefer to operate arrow keys on a computer keyboard to select items on a display screen.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a graphical user interface which enables movement of items between displayed windows.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for moving items between windows which can respond to either mouse inputs or manipulated arrow keys by moving a cursor and enabling a displayed item""s selection.
A computer implemented method is described for enabling a user to transfer, via a graphical user interface, an item from one displayed window to another displayed window. Initially, a first window is displayed with an item to be moved and a second window is displayed with one or more destinations to which the item can be moved. Thereafter, the user selects the item to be moved, causing a further window to be displayed which includes one or more commands, one of which manifests a movement action. Upon selection of the movement command, the graphical interface displays a list of destinations with which the item to be moved can be associated by actuating the movement command. Thereafter, responding to a selection of one of the displayed destinations, the computer which operates the graphical view user interface associates the item being moved with the selected destination and alters the display so that at least one of the displayed windows manifests the movement action.